Four-day study of the Burr Ridge Police Department results in high grades

July 02, 2013|By Joseph Ruzich, Special to the Tribune

The Burr Ridge Police Department did well on an assessment report. (Joseph Ruzich, Special to the Tribune)

The Burr Ridge Police Department provides excellent service to citizens in the western suburb, a new police-assessment report indicates.

In April, several individuals from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. conducted a four-day study of the department and its operations.

When the police department received the 25-page report last month, it found it was in compliance with 480 of 482 standards set by the organization.

The police department has been a member of CALEA for about 12 years. The organization conducts a study of the department every three years.

"We are very happy," said Burr Ridge Deputy Chief Marc Loftus. "It would have been nice to receive a 100 percent (grade), but they pointed out a few issues that we can correct now."

Those issues include suggestions on ways to better conduct oral interviews for police promotions and a reminder to update policy on how to properly operate evidence lockers at the police station.

CALEA also conducted a profile of the department and included statistics about race and crimes. The report indicates that the police department had received no complaints alleging bias from 2010-12.

The report also found that 930 traffic citations were given to Caucasians in 2012, compared to 197 for Hispanics and 164 for African-Americans.

Of the 27 sworn police officers in the suburb, 24 are Caucasian, two are Hispanic and one is African-American, according to the report. The department has three sworn female officers.

Loftus said the department is focusing on maintaining and attracting more diversity. The report indicates that police officials advertise positions in various ethnic newspapers, including Spanish, Polish and African-American publications.

The report also focuses on crime statistics in the suburb. There were 60 burglaries in 2012, 55 in 2011 and 80 in 2010. There were also 31 incidents of larceny-theft in 2012, 36 in 2011 and 26 in 2010. There were five motor vehicle thefts in 2012, one in 2011 and four in 2010. The report indicates no murders, rape, robbery and arson incidents during those years.

CALEA also found that the newly built police station is in compliance and features a full detention area, interview rooms and a large training room.

The report summary said the police department "does a good job in providing police service for the citizens" and the employees "embrace the concepts of community policing by providing services well beyond responding to and investigating criminal reports."